NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Friends and family are remembering two Tennessee National Guardsmen who died in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crash Wednesday afternoon.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Wadham and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Danny Randolph were assigned to A Company, 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion, from Nashville’s Berry Field Air National Guard Base.

Both were killed when their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed during a training flight near Highway 53 and Burwell Road near Huntsville, Alabama.

The two men are being remembered not only for their service but as loving husbands and fathers.

Randolph of Murfreesboro, served with the guard for 13 years and leaves behind four children.

“It just reminds you that life is so short and it’s so unpredictable,” Cher McCraven told News 2 with tears in her eyes. 

McCraven says she was in the National Guard with Randolph when he joined, as a flight operations specialist. Currently, she says her brother is a crew chief over Randolph’s unit.

“It’s hard to lose somebody that’s young and serving their country and serving their state. He was just a good friend and always somebody who was a pleasure to be around and I’ll never forget his smile and I just hope all of his brothers-in-arms in his unit are able to move forward and get through this and I’m sure they will always remember his smile and he will always be smiling down on them,” she said.

Randolph’s roots are in Gallatin, so Mayor Paige Brown told News 2, “The city of Gallatin is saddened by the passing of a man whose foundation was built here. Our sympathy and prayers are with his family. May they know that we recognize and appreciate his service and that he will be lovingly remembered for the great man, son, husband and father that he was.”   

Wadham of Joelton, served with the Tennessee National Guard for 15 years. He also worked with the Metro Nashville Police Department from 2016 through 2020.

Dover City Councilman Alex Berta posted on Facebook that Wadham was from Dover, saying he proudly served his country and that he was a devoted husband and father to two amazing children. The councilman is asking to please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.

A GoFundMe has been created to help Wadham’s family pay for travel to Nashville and be with each other as they grieve.